"The Red Cross and FEMA are poised to help citizens cope with their personal losses but I am confident members of the legal community will come together to help their colleagues whose law practices and families have been displaced by this unprecedented disaster," LSBA President Frank X. Neuner, Jr. of Lafayette said of the fund. "Lawyers from across the state and country have contacted me in the past few days to determine what they can do to assist other members of the profession," Neuner added. "We created the fund to provide a mechanism for these caring members of the legal community to assist their colleagues in this time of need."

The Relief Fund is being administered by the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation.

Donations should be sent to:
Hurricane Katrina Legal Community Relief Fund
c/o Baton Rouge Bar Foundation
544 Main Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Mississippi
The Mississippi Bar Foundation is collecting donations to help lawyers reestablish their practices. The bar is also gathering office equipment and looking for available office space. Please make checks out to "The Mississippi Bar Foundation."

To donate, contact The Mississippi Bar:

Larry Houchins
Executive Director
The Mississippi Bar
643 North State Street
P.O. Box 2168
Jackson, MS 39225-2168
(601) 960-9575
Fax: (601) 355-8635
Email: houchins@msbar.org

Minnesota State Bar Association (Added 5/15, 3:24 p.m.)
Minnesota State Bar Association members have contributed over $420,000 in cash and three truckloads of office furniture to rebuild Gulf Coast legal systems damaged by hurricane Katrina, MSBA President Susan M. Holden announced. State bar foundations in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama received funds to aid displaced lawyers. Three legal services offices -- Southeast Louisiana Legal Service Corporation, Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation, and Legal Services Alabama -- and The Pro Bono Project in New Orleans, also received funding from the MSBA.

West Virginia State Bar
The State Bar has begun its effort to provide lawyers and law students to assist the hundreds of disaster victims housed at Camp Dawson in Preston County, WV. Bar members who can travel to Camp Dawson or provide telephone assistance are asked to contact Tom Tinder immediately. (Phone: 304-558-7993/Email: tindert@wvbar.org)

The bar and its foundation and Young Lawyers section have donated $21,000 to funds for Mississippi and Louisiana lawyers affected by Hurricane Katrina. Bar members who would like to contribute to either fund can send their contributions to the appropriate address below:

Lousiana: Hurricane Katrina Legal Community Relief Fund, c/o Baton Rouge Bar Foundation, 544 Main St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Mississippi: Hurricane Katrina Lawyer Relief Fund, c/o Mississippi Bar Foundation, P.O. Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225-2168

National Legal Aid & Defenders Association (Added 9/20, 3:08 p.m.)
The NLADA has established "Helping Hands: The Equal Justice Colleagues" Support Fund, for staff of legal aid and public defender offices who were victimized by Hurricane Katrina. The association has made a $10,000 initial contribution to the fund.

Oregon State Bar (Added 9/16, 3:22 p.m.)
The Oregon State Bar, Multnomah Bar Association, and Multnoma County Legal Aid Services Office are providing Pro Bono assistance to Katrina evacuees.

Northwest Suburban Bar Association (Added 9/16, 10:14 a.m.)
The Northwest Suburban Bar Association is accepting donations on behalf of the Red Cross, and has posted a Web page with links to donor and volunteer agencies.

Cleveland Bar Association (Added 9/15, 10:31 a.m.)
The bar has posted a Katrina Web page with a letter from President P. Kelly Tompkins and updates on legal relief efforts.

Office Space Donation Form
The ABA is gathering information from companies and firms who have space they are willing to share with displaced businesses and lawyers.

Hurricane Katrina Volunteer Legal Assistance Database
This survey will help the ABA is gather information from attorneys willing to volunteer legal assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

ABA Will Help Hurricane Victims
The ABA Young Lawyers Division and lawyers from several ABA sections will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist hurricane victims.

ABA Task Force on Hurricane Katrina
Letter from ABA President Michael Greco discussing the formation of the ABA Task Force on Hurricane Katrina, chaired by former ABA President N. Lee Cooper of Birmingham, AL.

In Katrina's Wake, 5th Circuit Relocates, Lawyers Mobilize to Help
This article from the ABA Journal eReport discusses the effect the hurricane has had on lawyers and the courts.

Lawyers Answer the Call: ABA Hotline, Web Site Link Volunteers to Those Who Need Help; Task Force Examines Legal Issues
This ABA Journal eReport article outlines the ABA's response to Hurricane Katrina.

General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division
The GPSolo Division is has made the chapter, A Checklist for Opening or Moving Your Law Firm available for those lawyers who need to relocate.

ABA Law Practice Management Section
LPM's home page has links to free disaster recovery publications.

ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
The ABA LTRC clearinghouse for technology related resources for disaster recovery contains links to articles, Web sites, communication tools, discounts and companies to help lawyers who are victims of the hurricane.

ABA Law Practice Management Section
LPM's home page has links to free disaster recovery publications.

ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER)
A letter from the Section's Chair, Lynn L. Bergeson, outlines their response to Hurricane Katrina.

ABA Law Student Division
The division has useful information for students at Tulane and Loyola-New Orleans law schools.

ABA Section of Legal Education
The section has created a page for law students affected by Hurricane Katrina. Dean Ponoroff of Tulane University Law School will be using the site for all official communications to the Tulane Law School community.

ABA Section of Litigation
The Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee of the Section of Litigation, American Bar Association, has prepared a general checklist for making claims under property insurance policies, and a checklist of additional information that may be required in making a claim under business-interruption coverage. Some of these resources are only available to Section of Litigation members.

ABA Section of Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law
RRPT has created a Real Property Emergency Resource Page for lawyers and law students impacted by the hurricane.

Alabama State Bar
The Alabama Law Foundation is accepting donations for the Katrina Disaster Fund. 100% of the funds received will go directly to relief efforts. The State Bar's Law Office Management Assistance Program is also coordinating the exchange of information between lawyers and law firms. Members interested in donating office space and/or administrative support can click here for additional information.

Alaska Bar Association
The Alaska Bar Association and the Alaska Bar Foundation have created the Alaska Bar Foundation Hurricane Katrina Fund. These funds will be used to help these states rebuild their justice systems, and to provide legal assistance for individuals affected by this catastrophe.

Atlanta Bar Association
The Atlanta Bar Association will maintain a list of members who are offering homes or office space to victims of the hurricane.

State Bar of Arizona
The State Bar of Arizona is coordinating free legal assistance for hurricane evacuees transported to Arizona. In addition, the bar is operating an online Hurricane Disaster Relief Information Center.

Austin Bar Association
The Austin Bar Association is providing legal assistance and clothing to evacuees residing in shelters in Austin. The Austin Bar has set also set up a fund to provide monetary support to the Disaster Relief Fund of the American Red Cross. From now until September 12th, all donations up to $250,000 will be matched by Compass Bank.

Baton Rouge Bar Association
The BRBA's site is hosting an office space clearinghouse, important court orders from Louisiana courts, and contact information for the Louisiana State Bar Association.

Birmingham Bar Association
The Birmingham Bar Association is collecting contributions to the Red Cross to donate on behalf of its members.

Cleveland Bar Association
The bar has posted a Katrina Web page with a letter from President P. Kelly Tompkins and updates on legal relief efforts.

Colorado Bar Association
The Colorado Bar Association is collecting contributions to the Red Cross to donate on behalf of its members.

Columbus Bar Association (OH)
The Columbus Bar Association has contributed $10,000 to Hurricane Katrina relief.

Connecticut Bar Association
The CBA's Young Lawyers Section is organizing a supply drive for hurricane victims.

Dallas Bar Association
The Dallas Bar Association is collecting contributions to the Red Cross, organizing a food drive, asking for volunteers to provide legal services to victims, and is coordinating all offers of temporary office space or housing.

Delaware State Bar Association
The DSBA encourages its members to volunteer through the ABA's YLD/FEMA effort, donate financially to relief efforts, or to provide temporary housing and/or office space to displaced Hurriance Katrina victims.

Bar Association of Erie County
The bar is now accepting donations on behalf of the Mississippi and Louisiana Bar funds.

The Florida Bar
This page on the The Florida Bar's Web site outlines ways its members can help affected lawyers in Louisiana & Mississippi.

Fort Bend County Bar Association (TX)
Members of the FBCBA are asked to participate in the HBA's disaster relief efforts.

State Bar of Georgia
The State Bar of Georgia will assist displaced lawyers and their clients by providing office space, conference rooms, legal research materials, telephones and office equipment at the State Bar Building in downtown Atlanta. Displaced lawyers may contact Faye First, the bar's conference center manager, at (404) 419-0155 or fayef@gabar.org.

West Hawaii Bar Association
The WHBA is offering assistance to law students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Honolulu attorney Andy Winer is coordinating with law firms to hire law students at law firms and assist with housing. Please contact:

Andy Winer (winer@pacificlaw.com/ 808-227-5932)
Winer Meheula & Devens LLP (808-254-5855/ Fax: 808-254-6872)
Margaret Masunaga (mkmasunaga@aol.com/ 808-324-7117, ext. 103)

Houston Bar Association
The HBA is also offering free CLE programs to attorneys staying in the Houston area. The HBA will provide legal assistance, clothing, and other necessities to evacuees residing in shelters in the Houston area. The HBA and Houston Bar Foundation have set up a fund to provide monetary support to legal aid providers in Louisiana and Mississippi. There is also an additional fund to provide monetary support to the Disaster Relief Fund of the American Red Cross. Attorneys who need assistance with temporary office space or housing donated by HBA members should email karenr@hba.org.

The State Bar of Texas and the Houston Bar have prepared this resource on answering legal questions from people displaced by Katrina.

Illinois State Bar Association
The ISBA and the Illinois Bar Foundation have set up the a Katrina Legal Relief Fund that will assist bar association efforts in the affected states.

Jacksonville Bar Association
The JBA has raised over $17,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Jefferson County Bar Association (TX)
The JCBA is collecting funds for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and has set up a fund to provide monetary support to legal aid providers in Louisiana and Mississippi. The association is also offering temporary office space and housing to displaced attorneys.

Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
The KCMBA asks its members to donate to the
Louisiana State Bar Association Relief Fund.

Louisiana State Bar Association
The latest issue of Louisiana Bar Today provides contact information for the bar's temporary headquarters and State and Federal court links. The bar has also created this disaster training manual.

The Louisiana State Bar Association has established a relief fund to assist Louisiana attorneys who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The Relief Fund is being administered by the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation. Donations should be sent to:
Hurricane Katrina Legal Community Relief Fund
c/o Baton Rouge Bar Foundation
544 Main Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association
The LTLA Member Assistance Fund has been created to provide assistance to Louisiana's trial lawyers. LTLA members displaced by Hurricane Katrina who need a temporary place to work, make phone calls, and access the Internet, are encouraged to use LTLA's office in downtown Baton Rouge.

Monroe County Bar Association
The MCBA is collecting contributions to the Red Cross to donate on behalf of its members.

State Bar of Michigan
The bar urges its members to contribute to the Red Cross or through this site set up by the State of Michigan.

Minnesota State Bar Association
Minnesota State Bar Association members have contributed over $420,000 in cash and three truckloads of office furniture to rebuild Gulf Coast legal systems damaged by hurricane Katrina, MSBA President Susan M. Holden announced. State bar foundations in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama received funds to aid displaced lawyers. Three legal services offices -- Southeast Louisiana Legal Service Corporation, Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation, and Legal Services Alabama -- and The Pro Bono Project in New Orleans, also received funding from the MSBA.

The Mississippi Bar
The Mississippi Bar Foundation is collecting donations to help lawyers reestablish their practices. The bar is also gathering office equipment and looking for available office space. Please make checks out to "The Mississippi Bar Foundation." To donate, contact The Mississippi Bar:
Larry Houchins
Executive Director
The Mississippi Bar
643 North State Street
PO Box 2168
Jackson, MS 39225-2168
(601) 960-9575
Fax: (601) 355-8635
Email: houchins@msbar.org

State Bar of Montana
Donate to the Red Cross or to the Louisiana State Bar Association's Relief Fund from the Montana State Bar's home page.

Montgomery County Bar Association (TX)
The Montgomery County Bar Association is collecting clothing and necessities and will distribute through the Houston Bar Association.

Nashville Bar Association
The Nashville Bar Association has set up a series of Pro Bono Legal Help Clinics for hurricane evacuees in Nashville and the surrounding counties. The bar also is encouraging its members to offer housing, office space, or employment to attorneys displaced by the hurricane. The bar's Web site features links for donations and volunteer opportunities. Its weekly e-mail announcements will continue updating members on ways to assist the effort.

National Legal Aid & Defenders Association The NLADA has established "Helping Hands: The Equal Justice Colleagues" Support Fund, for staff of legal aid and public defender offices who were victimized by Hurricane Katrina. The association has made a $10,000 initial contribution to the fund.

New Hampshire Bar Association
This NHBA page highlights donation opportunities and links to legal-specific disaster recovery resources.

New Jersey State Bar Association
NJSBA President Stuart A. Hoberman asks that association members support Gulf Region relief efforts.

The State Bar of New Mexico
The bar is looking for volunteers to assist in the ABA/YLD effort.

New Orleans Bar Association
The New Orleans Bar Association is in process of establishing a temporary location on the Florida Gulf Coast. It asks its members to check its Web site on a regular basis for additional news and resources targeted for lawyers and for the citizens of New Orleans.

The Association of the Bar of the City of New York
The City Bar Fund has made its report "Public Service in a Time of Crisis" available on its home page. This free publication details the response taken by the New York City legal community to address the legal needs of victims.

New York State Bar Association
The NYSBA and The New York Bar Foundation have created a fund that will assist in restoring essential legal services in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

North Carolina Bar Association
North Carolina Bar Association establishes Hurricane Katrina Legal Relief Fund to help rebuild the legal infrastructure in Mississippi and Louisiana; members licensed in affected states asked to volunteer via Disaster Legal Services.

Northwest Suburban Bar Association The Northwest Suburban Bar Association is accepting donations on behalf of the Red Cross, and has posted a Web page with links to donor and volunteer agencies.

Ohio State Bar Association
The OSBA & the Ohio State Bar Foundation have established the Hurricane Katrina Legal Relief Fund to aid the judicial system and the public's access to justice.

Oklahoma Bar Association
The Oklahoma Bar has posted a Hurricane Katrina page with a message from bar President Mike Evans, and links to relief resources for victims and donors. The bar has also started a Hurricane Katrina legal assistance fund, and is organizing an effort to provide legal advice to the more than 1,000 Katrina evacuees who have taken refuge in the state.

Oregon State Bar
The Oregon State Bar, Multnomah Bar Association, and Multnoma County Legal Aid Services Office are providing Pro Bono assistance to Katrina evacuees.

Palm Beach County Bar Association
The PBCBA's Young Lawyers Section donated $5,000 to the Red Cross.

Pennsylvania Bar Association
The PBA has created a resource area on its Web site to help members volunteer to aid victims of the hurricane. The PBA also is asking members to donate to the American Red Cross or to a charity of their choice.

Rhode Island Bar Association
In addition to coordinating efforts with the ABA, the RIBA is contacting its Volunteer Lawyer Program members to identify attorneys specifically interested in assisting relocated hurricane victims. The Rhode Island Bar Foundation will be providing financial aid to attorneys affected by the hurricane damage.

San Antonio Bar Association
The San Antonio Bar Association is collecting funds for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund as well as clothing and necessities to victims residing in Houston.

San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
The San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association is soliciting funds for hurricane victims. The association is also accepting goods and clothing donations at their downtown office.

Santa Clara County Bar Association
The SCCBA asks its members to make donations through the Association for distribution to the Red Cross.

Shreveport Bar Association
The Shreveport Bar Association is offering a number of services for displaced attorneys including shelter needs, fund donation, and attorney training.

The South Carolina Bar
The S.C. Bar has created this site that lists office space and housing available to displaced attorneys. Bar members who are licensed to practice in the affected states and who are willing to volunteer are asked to contact the S.C. Bar.

Tarrant County Bar Association
The TCBA has set up a fund to provide monetary support for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Tennessee Bar Association
The TBA has created this web guide to help its members in provide relief to Hurricane Katrina victims.

The State Bar of Texas
The State Bar of Texas and the Houston Bar have prepared this resource on answering legal questions from people displaced by Katrina.

The bar asks that all members who have available office space, conference space, or housing to offer to affected lawyers and families to contact the bar at this email address.

Texas Association of Defense Counsel
The TADC's Web site has an online form for its members to volunteer unused office space, office support, and housing for displaced colleagues from the Louisiana Defense Counsel and DRI.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association
The TTLA has partnered with local bars in Houston and Austin to coordinate relief efforts.

Virginia Bar Association
The Virginia Bar Association has established the “Hurricane Katrina Legal Assistance Fund” to help rebuild the Gulf Coast area’s legal infrastructure.

Virginia State Bar (unified)
The Virginia State Bar has issued an open letter to the state's 32,500 lawyers, asking each to donate at least ten hours of Pro Bono assistance to Katrina victims.

West Virginia State Bar
The State Bar has begun its effort to provide lawyers and law students to assist the hundreds of disaster victims housed at Camp Dawson in Preston County, WV. Bar members who can travel to Camp Dawson or provide telephone assistance are asked to contact Tom Tinder immediately. (Phone: 304-558-7993/Email: tindert@wvbar.org)

The bar and its foundation and Young Lawyers section have donated $21,000 to funds for Mississippi and Louisiana lawyers affected by Hurricane Katrina. Bar members who would like to contribute to either fund can send their contributions to the appropriate address below:

Lousiana: Hurricane Katrina Legal Community Relief Fund, c/o Baton Rouge Bar Foundation, 544 Main St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Mississippi: Hurricane Katrina Lawyer Relief Fund, c/o Mississippi Bar Foundation, P.O. Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225-2168

State Bar of Wisconsin
The bar's Web site has information on how Wisconsin lawyers can help colleagues affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Bar Association Emergency Preparedness & Response Resources
The ABA's Division for Bar Services created this disaster recovery white paper after the September 11th attacks. The paper provides guidance to bar associations on how to assist their members and the general public after a mass disaster.

Law Firm Crisis Management Resources Bibliography
This bibliography, created by the Division for Bar Services after the September 11, 2001 attacks, provides links to online resources, books, and magazine articles. Items specifically addressing hurricane and flood disaster recovery are included in the collection

"A United Front: New York-Area Bars Face Down Terror"
This November/December 2001 article from Bar Leader discusses how New York bar associations handled the challenges posed by the 9/11 attacks.

"Disaster Planning Critical in Response to September 11"
A four point plan that bar associations can use to better serve the community in the case of a disaster is included in this November/December 2001 article from Bar Leader.

"LAP Directors Respond To September 11 Tragedy"
The November/December 2001 article from Bar Leader shows how Lawyer Assistance Program Directors helped handled the stress, grief, and depression that plagued many lawyers after the September 11th attacks.

"Experts Discuss Effective Crisis Communication And Planning"
The ABA's Blueprint for Managing Crisis Communication is included in this November/December 2001 article from Bar Leader.

"Bar Planning For Mass Disaster Response: Lessons From September 11"
The January/February 2002 issue of Bar Leader contains lessons learned from the New Jersey State Bar Association's experience dealing with the aftermath of September 11th.

"Planning for Disasters"
This article, originally published in GP Solo Magazine, stresses the importance of disaster recovery plans for bar associations.